More than a dozen evacuated from burning Munnsville Hotel (updated) (video)

CAITLIN TRAYNOR and KRISTIN CLARK

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12:00 am EDT, Thursday, August 2, 2012

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER <a href="http://twitter.com/oneidaphoto">twitter.com/oneidaphoto</a>Ten Area fire crews battle a structure fire in the upper floors of the Munnsville Hotel on Thursday. August 2, 2012. less

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER <a href="http://twitter.com/oneidaphoto">twitter.com/oneidaphoto</a>Ten Area fire crews battle a structure fire in the upper floors of the Munnsville ... more

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Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER <a href="http://twitter.com/oneidaphoto">twitter.com/oneidaphoto</a>Ten Area fire crews battle a structure fire in the upper floors of the Munnsville Hotel on Thursday. August 2, 2012. less

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER <a href="http://twitter.com/oneidaphoto">twitter.com/oneidaphoto</a>Ten Area fire crews battle a structure fire in the upper floors of the Munnsville ... more

More than a dozen evacuated from burning Munnsville Hotel (updated) (video)

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MUNNSVILLE - More than a dozen people were evacuated from the Munnsville Hotel on Route 46 around 8:45 p.m. Thursday as 10 fire departments battled a fire in the four-story structure.

Madison County Deputy Fire Coordinator Jeff Cardinali said the fire was well advanced when he arrived shortly after the second alarm was activated for mutual aid. Munnsville resident Brianne Tysco said people were running in and out of the building as she pulled over at the scene. A woman was screaming outside the building that her belongings were still inside, Tysco said.

Another bystander Colleen Clark said the fire was emanating from the peak of the roof and spreading to the left side of the upper floors and burning straight down.

Cardinali said the fire was blowing out from the windows of the second floor on the front of the building when he arrived. The blaze appeared to have started in the corner of the second floor on the front side of the building.

While crews were able to manage the fire quickly, he said the structure posed a substantial challenge for firefighters with its layout. He described the building as being "chopped up" into at least six or eight apartments.

The metal roof caused more heat to be trapped inside the building than usual, making the fire significantly hotter than it otherwise would have been. The material also made it difficult for fire crews to open the roof for ventilation.

The fire was contained to the top two stories. Cardinali said the fire didn't reach the first floor but it sustained extensive water damage. Crews were on the second and third floors extinguishing fires erupting inside the building and throwing burning items out of windows.

Cardinali expects crews to be on the scene through the night and well into the morning as they continue to fully extinguish the blaze. Shortly before midnight Cardinali said the fire was completely under control. Ladders were being hooked to the roof to anchor firefighters as they climbed across the roof to tear it open and extinguish hot spots. Because the roof was metal and wet it was extremely slippery, Cardinali said, posing an extra hazard to crews cabled to the ladders. The overhaul will quickly tire out firefighters, he said, adding that its exhaustive work.

Fire investigators were called to the scene to try to localize a point of origin and determine the cause of the fire. Cardinali declined to comment on whether or not the cause was suspicious.

He estimated the building to have substantial damage and may be considered a total loss. He said it will likely need to be torn down.

Fire crews from Munnsville, Oneida, Madison, Morrisville, Hamilton, Wampsvile, Canastota, Sherrill, Oneida Castle and Smithfield were called to the scene and several other departments were requested to standby at stations responding to the fire. Cardinali estimated that nearly 100 firefighters were on the scene.

None of the residents or firemen were injured.

The Madison County Sheriff's Department were also on the scene, along with volunteers from the American Red Cross.

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